Ex-China Singaporean jailed 6 weeks for maid abuse

A new Singaporean citizen from China was sentenced to 6 weeks’ jail today (Mar 13) for abusing her Indonesian maid.

According to court proceedings, the first incident started in January 2017 at the Bedok North HDB apartment when 36-year-old Liang Dongmei asked her Indonesian maid what breakfast was prepared for the youngest daughter.

The ex-China national then berated her Indonesian maid in China’s Mandarin because she believed the maid’s response was rude. Deputy Prosecutor told the court that the maid was then assaulted after the Chinese businesswoman continued her scoldings.

The photo of the new Singaporean is covered up by state media Straits Times.

Deputy Prosecutor told the court that the maid was then assaulted after the Chinese businesswoman continued her scoldings:

“The accused felt that the victim’s tone of voice and attitude towards her were rude and started scolding the victim in Mandarin. The victim could not understand what the accused was saying and did not look at the accused. After Liang pulled Ms Shinta’s hair, the maid collected her belongings and tried to leave the flat but Liang held on to the front door to prevent her, accidentally scratching Ms Shinta’s face while doing so. Ms Shinta later fled the flat and alerted the police.”

The court considered the scratching as a second assault charge and the wrongful restraining as another charge for her 6 weeks sentencing.

The number of maid abuse in Singapore has been on the rise, with 14 reported cases in 2012 to 26 in 2015. An independent survey also found that 60% of the maids in Singapore are exploited, including working excessive overtime without pay.